3 leading schools for international relations, preparing graduates for global success

What are the primary political challenges confronting governments worldwide? How do states interact with each other? Can international institutions and intergovernmental organisations offer global solutions to global issues, from peace and conflict to environmental transformations?

A master’s degree in politics and international relations will give you answers to these questions and more. You can examine issues extending beyond Europe and the UK, including regions like North America, South Asia, China, Japan, and other emerging global powers. The curriculum goes beyond the traditional, encompassing the influence of ethics, gender, and social movements on the political landscape.

If you’re passionate about understanding the complexities of global politics and making a meaningful impact on the world stage, pursuing a master’s programme in politics and international relations is the way to go. Here are three leading universities that you can consider:

Zeppelin University holds the highest national quality accreditation and boasts top rankings, particularly for its Master of Arts in International Relations & Global Politics. Source: Zeppelin University

Zeppelin University

Nestled in Friedrichshafen, one of the most important German towns on Lake Constance, is Zeppelin University (ZU). Founded in 2003, this private university may be relatively new but it has built a reputation for excellent education, mirrored by top rankings.

This high quality can be seen in its Master of Arts programme in International Relations & Global Politics and how it’s prepared many graduates for the complexities and challenges they may face in their future careers. The programme does this by training students in multiple disciplines — politics, economics, law, psychology, and more — so they may gain a holistic understanding of the complex web of global affairs. Students can choose courses according to their interests and career goals. As the programme emphasises research and application, enabled by a 1:9 supervision ratio, students can better learn and retain new knowledge as well as understand how to apply these concepts in real-world scenarios.

The university’s talent centre empowers students with career guidance and internship opportunities, while Pioneer Port, ZU’s business incubator, nurtures entrepreneurial endeavours. The Student Project Office also facilitates student-led events featuring renowned speakers who provide invaluable insights into current global affairs. All of this takes place on a diverse and warm campus, where many peers turn into lifelong connections.

As graduates, they often look back at the good times they had at ZU’s two campuses: the Seemoser Horn campus on Lake Constance with its own lake access and the ZF campus with impressive modern architecture. The city is in the border triangle of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, only 200 kilometres from Munich and just as far from the car city of Stuttgart, where Porsche and Mercedes-Benz still have their headquarters, is the Zeppelin University.

Glasgow’s International Relations programme ranks 2nd in the UK according to the Guardian University Guide 2024. Source: University of Glasgow/Facebook

University of Glasgow

The University of Glasgow is nestled within Scotland’s largest city’s cosy and cultural West End. Its School of Social and Political Sciences tackles the social and political challenges of our time through teaching and research — with 90% or more of its research assessed as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” (Research Excellence Framework 2021).

Home to over 250 academic and research staff, the school offers postgraduate programmes in fields like Central and East European Studies, Politics and International Relations, Public Policy and many more. Be it an interest in public policy or economic governance, there’s a career-advancing programme for everyone.

What’s more, each programme takes an interdisciplinary and hands-on approach. Take the International Relations MSc, for example. The programme explores how we can use research design to analyse political data. You’ll be guided by experts in fields like international relations theory, normative international theory, international security and many more. You will approach subjects from various disciplines through courses across the School of Social and Political Sciences, School of Law, and other subjects.

To apply your theoretical knowledge, a three-day study trip to Brussels will see you gain first-hand experience in the practice of international relations. Previous visits included the European Commission, the European Parliament, NATO, Scotland House, and the World Bank.

Beyond that, the school is a hub for research that informs public debate and contributes to public policy development. The Centre for Business History in Scotland, Scottish Centre for China Research, and Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research are some centres dedicated to research in their respective fields.

Life at the University of Glasgow is as vibrant as its research and teaching. There are more than 300 student organisations created and run by students. You can participate in music, dance, politics, game development, and many more — or start your own club and society to share your passion, interest, and goals.

The Master of International Politics programme at KU Leuven offers you the chance to study at one of Europe’s oldest and most esteemed universities. Source: KU Leuven/Facebook

KU Leuven

Studying at KU Leuven has many benefits, but it is not often the first school to come to mind. It is among the best 100 universities in the world according to both Times Higher Education World Rankings and QS World University Rankings. “In a way, KU Leuven is a bit like Belgium itself,” says Herman Van Rompuy, former Belgian Prime Minister, former president of the European Council and alumnus of KU Leuven. “We are the underdog. It’s probably not the first country or university to come to mind, but once you take a closer look, you’ll notice that we have so much going for us.”

KU Leuven has just the programme to prepare you for a career in political institutions, NGOs and research organisations in the EU and worldwide. The Master of International Politics approaches key issues in international politics from a scientific perspective. This one-year programme will give you the theoretical and methodological skills necessary to study governance in a globalising world. You will develop a well-rounded perspective by exploring regional developments in Europe, North America, China, Russia and Eurasia. With this, you can anticipate issues and find solutions for global challenges in diplomacy, peace processes and conflict resolution, international development cooperation, environmental politics and political economy.

This master’s is promoted and supported by the Faculty of Social Sciences. In this programme, you also have the option to study abroad by attending a summer/winter school, participate in a project in the Global South or complete an additional semester abroad at a partner university immediately after you complete your programme.

KU Leuven has a Centre for Political Research, which hones in on the central institutions and processes of decision-making inherent in contemporary democracies. Its research is focused on four major domains: elections, political parties and social organisations, parliaments and governments. Students can take advantage of the centre’s findings and even be part of the research.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International